Defense of Murder and Homicide Charges in Louisiana
Nowhere are the stakes higher than in a criminal prosecution for murder or homicide. Under the law, the possible penalties are extreme — including decades-long prison sentences or execution in death penalty cases. Murder cases also often attract the attention of the news media — and without careful attention to the public relations aspect of a murder case, the defendant can find his or her reputation ruined even if the eventual outcome is dismissal or a not-guilty verdict.
At the Stockstill & Webre Trial Lawyers LLC, now with two locations: Lafayette and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, we have the resources and the experience necessary to defend clients brought up on murder or homicide charges.
Attorney J. Kevin Stockstill has more than 14 years' experience as a criminal defense trial lawyer. He has built a reputation as a smart and aggressive advocate for his clients who is capable of fighting successfully for a not-guilty verdict in trials involving serious charges like murder or homicide.
Two Counts of Second Degree Murder — Not Guilty Verdict: Our client was charged with two counts of second degree murder. Five eyewitnesses testified that our client was one of two people that fired shots into a crowd of people, resulting in two deaths. During cross-examination, Mr. Stockstill was able to show that the eyewitnesses didn’t actually see our client fire the shots but that our client's name was suggested to them by the investigating officer. One of the dangers of eyewitness identification testimony is suggestion by law enforcement. Mr. Stockstill successfully argued that our client was a victim of suggestion by the police and erroneous eyewitness identification. The jury found Mr. Coleman not guilty on both counts.
One Count of Manslaughter — Not Guilty Verdict: Our client, a City of Rayne police officer, was formally charged with manslaughter. Our client shot someone while performing his duties as a police officer. The prosecution and the state police alleged that the shooting was not proper and that our client used excessive force when he shot his service revolver 18 times at the alleged victim who, according to the state police, was already in custody. After a jury trial, the jury found Mr. Foreman not guilty.
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Stockstill & Webre Trial Lawyers LLC defends clients brought up on murder and homicide charges in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and throughout southern and central Louisiana.
Learn more about our past work via our summary of verdicts and settlements and links to newsworthy cases Mr. Stockstill has handled.
General information about criminal law is available via our Criminal Defense FAQ. You can also download Mr. Stockstill's free report, "9 Mistakes People Make When They Are Charged With a Crime."
To schedule a confidential consultation, call our Lafayette office at 337-262-0203 or send us an e-mail.
Urgent telephone calls are returned 24 hours daily.
